Should You Be Concerned About Bird Flu?

Bird flu, technically Avian influenza A (H5N1), has killed millions of birds, and caused countless outbreaks in poultry and cows. Since 2022, there have only been 15 reported cases in humans in the United States. The first case was reported in 2022, with 14 more cropping up this year. 

While that seems alarming, the CDC issued a report as recently as September 27, 2024, stating that the risk of the bird flu virus is low. And the people who have been infected reported mild bird flu symptoms. Some merely had to contend with an eye infection, while others reported slight flu-like symptoms. 

What is the Bird Flu?

Bird flu, Avian influenza A (H5N1), and H5N1 bird flu are all terms for an illness caused by the influenza type A virus. The first case was detected in a flock of geese in China in 1996. The following year, it was detected again in people in Hong Kong. 

Nearly 25 years went by before a new variant was detected again in birds in Europe. One year later, it was found in birds in the United States and Canada. Since then, it’s been found in a variety of wild birds across all 50 states.